Untitled at this time
by ap21ril
Summary: Hermione and Julia must go back in time to change what their world has become- everyone has lost, there is no one left to stay for. AU. OC
1. Chapter 1

I've always enjoyed reading time-travel fics, so figured I'd attempt my own. I'll keep updating Why Can't It Just Be Easy?, as well. Any ideas as to a title? Reviews are welcome!

Hermione ran, the stitch in her side growing but still not beating out the gaping wound that currently had any attention she could give. She saw flashes of blonde hair out of the corner of her eye, Julia staying just with her. The angry shouts of the Death Eaters not far behind were getting closer, and she knew they weren't going to make it to the safe house. Ignoring the pain from where she was bleeding she suddenly lurched to a stop, grabbed Julia's hand and disapparated.

They landed hard at the gates of Hogwarts, though Hermione thought calling them gates might be a stretch. They twisted of their hinges, only just still attached. Beyond them, Hogwarts was no more. A tower still stood on one side, but other than that, rubble only lie where the once 'impenetrable' fortress had stood. "Quickly, Jules. Follow me." Hermione led Julia as close to the weeping willow as she could. Why the damn tree had to still be there, when nothing else had made it she didn't know. She tried her best not to look at what was left of the school, where so many of her friends and loved ones had died, where Harry had drawn his last breath…she shook her head. She didn't have time to think about that. "Protection spells Julia!" She sharply reminded her friend, before sitting and grabbing out what she had been preparing for the last five years.

She set the amethyst stones around herself and Julie, before lighting four candles at east, west, south and finally north.

"Power of Merlin rise, course unseen across the skies, take me back to where I'll find, what I wish in place and time." She waved her wand in the pattern she'd found four years prior, when herself, Julia, Sirius, Neville, Harry and Remus had begun the research necessary to travel back in time when it became apparent their side was losing.

Their seventh year of Hogwarts had been shattered at the school's infiltration with Voldemort's forces shortly after returning from winter break. Remus and Sirius had been able to get most of the students out, though Tonks, along with Minerva McGonagall and many others, had given up their lives to ensure the escape. Shortly after, Dumbledore had approached Hermione and introduced her both to Julia, and the idea of traveling back in time. He had originally thought just a year or two, but as time went on, the researchers mutually decided going farther back, maybe even twenty years back, would be necessary. It had been Ron's idea to write letters to their past selves, with information only they would know. That way, when whoever went back, they would be able to warn, and have everyone listen, about what was to come. Hermione choked back a sob as Ron's face swam in her vision. She had tried to maneuver a wall between the oncoming _avada kadavra _and him during an attack two months ago, but she hadn't had enough strength to pick the wall up, her magic had been too depleted. It had been Julia who'd had the presence of mind to grab her and apparate away before the Death Eaters could turn on either of the women.

All of the potential time travelers had carried copies of all of the letters to their past selves, plus the amethyst and candles necessary for the spell. The candles had been formed with the sand from time turners, which in turn had been stolen three years ago in a magnificent heist by Ginny and Remus. Now though, only Hermione and Julia remained of the original group formed. Just two days prior, with Ginny's death, had the two remaining women decided it was time. It would be better to do the spell with at least two wizards or witches, and while neither were ready to call the war over and lost, it was apparent that there was no return.

Julia came to stand next to Hermione, and added her voice to the continuous chant. "Power of Merlin rise, course unseen across the skies, take me back to where I'll find, what I wish in place and time." Both wands flew in the complicated pattern that had been practiced over and over again since they had learned it.

All was quiet, even the Weeping Willow had stopped waving it's branches, when, with a bright flash the women were gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine, never has been, never will be. All characters you recognize belong to JKR, all that you don't and the plotline are mine.**

**A/N: I realized I didn't specify- this story is canon through book 4, then it as AU **

**Currently reading The Connected by Bloody Phantom- great story, I really like it so far!**

**Ch 2 A New Hogwarts**

Hogwarts was quiet, as the summer months usually were. No one was around to see the air begin to quiver and move, before dumping out two young women onto the cheerfully waving grass. Both were bruised and bloodied, and the one with curly brown hair looked nearly unconscious. The blonde quickly leaned and murmured a quiet spell over the other woman's bleeding side, before waving her wand again to have the woman rise in the air. She quickly made her way towards the castle, the two at odds with the peaceful image of the castle all around them.

Julia ran up the stone steps, and sent up the Patronus. "We've come to speak to Albus Dumbledore and are in urgent need of assistance from your Medi-Witch." Her friends, whom she'd spent almost every waking moment with for the past five years, had closely instructed her on what to do if she was ever in charge of the initial meeting in the past. She tapped her foot waiting impatiently. She'd been told it would be easier to sneak in in the summer months, but with the disadvantage that there wouldn't be anyone to let them in the castle without sending a Patronus, and at this moment, watching Hermione's side continue to bleed despite her stasis charm, she was wishing it were in the middle of a busy school year. She jerked slightly as the big doors opened, and sighed in relief as much younger versions of the Headmaster and her aunt Poppy came bustling out.

"Oh dear, who's this? What happened?" Poppy burst out, quickly running to Hermione's side. She took control over the mobile spell , and after a quick assessment, directed Hermione to the hospital wing.

"Professor Dumbledore," Julia bent her head in acknowledgement. "We've come a long way to speak with you, if you'd entertain us." Albus looked down his long nose, a frown looking out of place in his young face. Julia was used to the more concerned look in her time, but realized things were much easier for him here, even with a young Voldemort running around. "Of course, my dear. May I ask where it is you've come from?" He gestured Julia into the castle, before closing the big doors once more.

"I apologize, but it would be better if we wait until my friend is awake and able to participate." Albus studied her for a moment, before nodding. "As you wish. You're bleeding!" He quickly reached out a hand and pushed back Julia's ragged sleeve to reveal an ugly gash along her right arm. "Follow me, we'll go straight to the hospital wing. What is your name?"

"Julia. Julia Granger." She and Hermione had decided it would be easier to present themselves as cousins initially, versus Julia using her true name, Julia Pomfrey. They figured the latter would bring up too many questions before they could explain. Their research had shown that once they moved back in time, they would risk essentially erasing their birth. It was why it had been so hard to perfect the spell. They didn't want to risk erasing themselves entirely; if they erased their birth, would there be a 'them' to go back in time? None of them had been able to come up with an answer, which was why they hadn't tried shorter term travel when they had first finalized the spell, a year earlier. If Julia revealed her name she would have to reveal that she had removed the chance for her parents to have her. She got a headache just think about all of the time travel paradigms. She shook off her thoughts as Albus turned into the hospital wing and she got a good look at Hermione and gulped. It was a good thing they'd gone back when they had, or there might not have been a chance of going back far enough in time with just Julia. She quickly grasped her bag, a habit developed over the past few years, ensuring it was safely on her hip. She had cast an enlarging charm on it, taught by Hermione herself. It held all of their camping supplies, canned food, clothes, and most importantly, the letters.

Her head snapped up as Hermione groaned. She ran forward and grasped her friend's hand. "Hermione? Are you alright?" She leaned in close, studying her best friend's face. "I feel like I got hit by a lorry, then ran over a few times." Julia smiled at her friend's words. She'd first used the description for how bad she'd felt after getting in a particularly nasty battle with Death Eaters two years prior. Since then, they'd all (Julia felt tears come to her eyes at how little 'all' encompassed now) used it when feeling especially badly. Hermione began to struggle to sit up, and Julia carefully helped her, before propping pillows behind her. Hermione's eyes traveled over Julia's face, ensuring that she was alright, before falling on Albus and Poppy. She gasped, and tried to swing her legs over the side of the bed before Julia stopped her movement. "Albus!" Hermione began to cry. "Albus, I never thought I'd see you again!" Dumbledore walked carefully forward, positive he'd never seen this young woman before in his life. "You know me?" Hermione gasped at her slip. "I, I…", she looked at Julia for help.

"If you feel up to it, we can talk now if you like?" Julia carefully sized up Hermione as she spoke. She didn't want her friend to over do it, especially so soon after how badly she'd been hurt.

"I think I can, if we can do it here?" She looked at Albus questioningly.

"I suppose, though I don't know what it is exactly you want to do." Dumbledore quickly made a fluffy chair appear and settled, before glancing at Julia and setting up another. Julia turned to Poppy. "Please stay. This includes you too." Poppy stared for a moment, before shaking her head and levitating a smaller chair to the three.

"Poppy, Julia injured her arm quite severely, if you wouldn't mind looking at it?" Dumbledore looked up at his long time friend, whose already frowning mouth pinched even more. _What had these young women gotten themselves into?!_

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Julia settled, finally ready to begin their tale. Poppy had looked at her arm, and then insisted on doing a full assessment. By the time she was done, Hermione was asleep, and so Poppy took the moment to take her young charge into her personal bathroom and drawn her a bath. Julia had sat in it for almost an hour, and had finally gotten out with prunes for hands and feet. She was positive she hadn't had a real bath in close to a year, just little spit baths as she could, along with some spell work Hermione had thought up. When you're running for your life, barely one step ahead of your enemies, keeping clean wasn't a priority, By the time she'd gotten dressed in the robes her aunt had gotten out for her, Hermione was beginning to wake up. Once she'd awakened fully she was quite jealous of Julia's good fortune, and had already been promised a bath herself once the tale had been told.

Julia wrapped her hands around her mug of hot chocolate. "I guess I'll start." Catching Hermione's nod to go ahead, she took a deep breath. "Before you think we're crazy, I just want to say, give us a chance. We have proof of all that we will tell you." Albus and Poppy traded a look, and Dumbledore inclined his head to agree. "First off, what is the date?" Both of the elders in the room looked startled. Albus cleared first, "it is July 3." Julia smiled tightly. "Of what year?" Now, both Albus' and Poppy's eyebrows shot to their hairlines. "1981."

Julia turned to Hermione and both laughed in relief. They had been almost exact on their measurements, though both wished they could have managed one more year. Two months ago, in the same attack that Ron had died, they had lost Hermione's bag that held her candles. They had had to melt down Ginny's and Julia's to make sure all three women had four each to be able to do the spell. Consequently, they only had enough time turner dust to make it to 1981.

Julia turned back to her old friend and aunt. "We're from the future. We traveled back in time from 2002, to save the world from Voldemort's destruction." Dumbledore and Poppy both blinked at the incredible proclamation before Poppy took a deep breath. "I've heard some strange things in my day, but this may win." Albus cleared his throat. "I think we'd better see that proof before we hear more," he raised an eyebrow skeptically. Julia nodded, the future Albus having already predicted his past self would do such a thing. "I have letters, for you both, from yourselves in our time. As well as memories if there is a pensieve available?" Julia smiled sweetly, knowing her aunt kept one in her office; as expected she rose quickly after a nod from Dumbledore and headed to grab it. Julia handed the great wizard the letter; when he'd written it he'd made sure to include details only he would know, and Julia slightly enjoyed watching his face as he read the letter quickly, growing more and more pale the farther down he got. He looked carefully at both women, and was studying them as Poppy came back out with the pensieve. Julia quickly unstopped the vial that had been filled only six months prior, and poured it in. Albus quickly stood, Poppy following and both dipped their heads.

Neither woman moved to follow, they knew all too well what the older two would see. They'd included memories of Hogwarts downfall, Julia and her parents coming, the larger battles, the deaths of people even the current Dumbledore would recognize, how the world looked, the light wizards joining forces with the muggles, though it was too little, too late, by the time they did. They'd collected memories from as many people as they could, and Hermione and Remus, before he'd died, had melded them to show the different views of the same scenes.

Julia studied Hermione's paler than usual face. "Didn't you say Hogwarts was staffed by elves?" Hermione started, she'd been going over all that she planned to say once the two were out of the pensieve. "Yes," she said slowly. "Why?"

"We'd like some supper and tea," Julia spoke aloud, unsure of the best way to call elves in this strange place. Hogwarts had been destroyed by the time she and her parents had come back to England to help fight. Moments later, and with a quick pop, three small elves appeared, each laden with a large tray. It took them less than thirty seconds to set up a small table the largest one had also been carrying, and they were gone before Julia could get out a thank you. She helped Hermione fill a plate with more food than either woman had seen in a long time. They'd never had to go longer than two or three days with nothing, but fresh hot food had been a luxury they didn't have. Both settled in, knowing it may still be a bit longer before the memories were done.

Finally, Dumbledore and Poppy were released from the horror. Poppy quickly bent over, vomiting from the scenes she'd just witnessed, while Dumbledore just sat, paler than before, and stared at the women for a long moment. Julia took the time to pour each a cup of tea, and banished her aunt's evidence of how much the memories had disturbed her.

"You're Howard and Jessica's daughter then?" Poppy searched Julia's face, looking for signs of her brother and his wife. Julia knew she'd find them, she'd always been told she'd been a dead-ringer for her father's mother. "I am. I was born in 1982; I didn't know you very well until recently though, or go to Hogwarts. My parents both worked with developing magical communities in impoverished countries. We moved to South Africa when I was two, and lived there until I was twelve. We hopped around for three years, before coming here after Hogwarts was destroyed," she looked apologetically at Dumbledore. He'd been devastated at his beloved schools tragic end.

"I think it may be best if you start at the beginning," Dumbledore spoke. "I saw there was a reference to a prophecy that's already been made. We've taken many steps to protect young Mr. Potter. Did something go wrong?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "I'll start, and try to cover as much as I can. We wrote out a timeline of major events, but I'll try and add in all of the details as well. Then I was thinking we could show your memories of today and the timeline to the Order of the Phoenix." Dumbledore blinked. Even now that he was positive that these women were truly from the future, having further proof still caught him off guard. He nodded, and sat back as Hermione began again.

"First; there were some betrayals from those you thought were light. I know it may be unbelievable, and I wish I didn't have to tell you who, but it's essential to stopping everything." Both nodded, though Poppy looked ill again as she imagined who it would be.

"The Potter's should already be protected by Fidelius, correct?" Dumbledore nodded. "They changed Secret Keepers on you at the last minute. They knew all would assume Sirius was their choice, but decided to make him the decoy and Peter the Secret Keeper." Dumbledore shook his head, already in denial. "No, no. I binded them myself, Sirius was there."

Hermione looked sadly at her beloved professor. "No. Peter had taken Polyjuice so no one would know it wasn't Sirius, even you. He betrayed the Potter's to Voldemort, and Voldemort attacked them, I mean, _attacks_ them, Halloween night. James and Lily were both killed, but when he tried to kill Harry the curse rebounded and he was thought destroyed. Everyone had thought Sirius was the Secret Keeper, and after Peter framed him, he was sentenced to Azkaban. He was there for twelve years before he broke out." Poppy covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face at what had become of her friends. She'd just had butterbeers with Peter and Sirius the week before!

"I know they don't want anyone to know, but the Marauders are all animagi. Peter hides with the Weasley's as a rat. When Sirius saw a newspaper photo and recognized Peter's form, and that he was near Harry, with Ron at Hogwarts, he used his dog form to escape from Azkaban. Eventually he was able to prove his innocence with the Order of the Phoenix, but never officially. Harry lived with Lily's sister's family who didn't like him, but he still grew up to be wonderful. Anyway, I'm getting off the point. Peter was able to escape and bring Voldemort back to power. He started really affecting our world again in my fifth year, in 1995. By 1997 he was able to invade Hogwart's. Minerva died, along with many other brave witches and wizards." All three witches were crying now, Poppy even needing to muffle her sobs in her sleeve. Dumbledore's face became so grave he looked much more like the Albus Hermione knew in her time. "We fought continuously over the next five years, and you Albus, introduced the idea of traveling back if things got too bad. Harry…Harry was our hope at destroying Voldemort. The prophecy was accurate. Lily did a charm right after he was born, and love protected him, while he was also a very strong wizard, probably even stronger than you." She looked at Dumbledore, her eyes bright, trying to make her point. "All of our hope was lost when he died at the hands of Peter, and we knew it was only a matter of time before we needed to go back. We stayed as long as we could to learn, but the last member of the Order besides us died two days ago. We were preparing our things when Death Eaters found us yesterday. Well, yesterday in twenty years. We almost didn't make it; they were able to track us somehow. I got hit, and I don't know that I would have made it another apparition," Hermione gestured to her side. "There's more details, but those are the main points."

Dumbledore studied her for several moments before addressing them all. "I'll call an emergency order meeting tomorrow. First, I'll take care of Peter," his glower making them all shrink a bit in fear of the great wizard.

"You're sure it's Peter?" Poppy was still having trouble wrapping her mind around her friend doing such a thing.

"Positive," Hermione replied, before turning back to Dumbledore. "This was one of the biggest things we argued about with the whole idea. Sirius was all for just killing Peter." Poppy let out a squeak. "Others wanted to just banish him, but you and I were the ones who decided it would be best to give him one chance. He must swear an Unbreakable Vow to protect all of the light with his entire being. We even wrote out the wording to make sure there were no loopholes." Julia was already reaching in her bag for the said piece of parchment, and handed it to the professor, who took it and stood. "I will call the Order for a meeting here. There may be some doubt initially, as I'm sure you are aware." Both nodded. "Poppy will see to making sure you're settled," he patted his friend's arm, before nodding at both young women and striding out.

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After Julia and Poppy had helped Hermione bathe and get settled, slightly drugged from all of the healing potions, they left the injured woman sleeping peacefully and chatted out on Poppy's small deck.

"So what happens to your birth now that you're here?" Poppy looked in question to her niece- she still couldn't believe she had one who was only three years younger than herself!

"We're not sure actually. Albus hypothesized that we would still need to be born in order for us to travel back, but wasn't sure if our coming back would erase our past selves. We want to find Hermione's parents to see for sure. My own wouldn't even be pregnant with me yet."

Poppy shook her head. "So you weren't even sure if you would exist once you went back?" Julia nodded her head in agreement. "That's why we never practiced. We had thought at first to go back a day, or a week or even a year, especially after Harry died. The ramifications were too great if it didn't work though. We had to leave it as a last option, where we didn't want or care if we lived in the current time."

Poppy sat back quietly, studying the stars as if they may answer her questions. The two women had been so brave! She couldn't imagine a world where everyone, every thing, near and dear to her was gone, and shuddered to think that it had been on track to do just that. "Were we close once you moved back?" She turned and looked her niece again. "How were your parents?"

Julia smiled sadly. "We were close, but we were forced into it a bit. My mum and dad died two months after we came back, and you took me in. We bonded quite quickly over the sadness." Poppy stared at her for a moment before turning back to the sky, wiping tears from her face. She steeled herself before finally opening her mouth. "Whatever you need me to do, however you need me to do it, just tell me." She reached over and squeezed Julia's hand, and both women sat there, staring out, contemplating the changes the world would soon see with the time traveler's intervention.

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There was dead silence for almost two solid minutes after the memories Albus had projected onto a clear wall had finished. Molly Weasley was crying, cradling her belly that held the young woman who'd she just watch die in the last memory. The men all strained to hold back their tears, though Fabian Prewett couldn't quite as he watched his sister struggle.

Hermione and Julia stood together in the kitchen of the Potter's home, where the meeting was currently being held. They'd insisted Molly come, though she wasn't a current member of the Order. They'd borne witness to how fierce she was in battle, and knew she deserved to know the information they had brought back. They had been staying out of sight, waiting for Albus to signal he was ready. They both still jumped when they heard his gravely voice call for them, and they walked almost shyly into the full living room. The Potter's were sitting closest, and Hermione had to stop herself from running to Remus and Sirius who were sitting next to their friends. Next were a few people Hermione only recognized from photos- Marlene McKinnon, the Prewett twins, and the Longbottoms. Minerva was sitting across the room from the time travelers, next to Albus, and smiled shakily at them. They'd all been able to see the close relationships with those present who'd still been alive in their memories- which were shockingly few.

"It's true then? The prophecy?" Lily looked at the two women, worry causing frown lines to show on her pale forehead.

"I'm afraid so." Hermione shifted her weight, feeling out of place at all of the stares. "Harry will be a great wizard, which we were pretty sure was what triggered the prophecy. Your charm you gave him at birth though, saved his life many times." Lily smiled shakily, still in disbelief that the prophecy was undoubtedly about her son, her Harry.

"If he was such a great wizard, who come he died?" Glares came from all over the room at Marlene's comment, and she shrunk back a bit, especially from the parents of said wizard.

"Harry's greatest flaw was how much he cared for his family and friends. He would have done anything for them." Hermione continued on as her voice shook with emotion, both from the snide question from Marlene and the memory she was pulling forward. "There was a battle, and his wife and Remus were caught in a room with fiendfyre. He saved them, but only by sacrificing himself. He told them he had another way out, but they had to take his broom because both were injured so severely."

Lily choked out a sob as she did her best to not imagine her son's final moments, and Remus had his head in both hands. Julia came to squat down in front of both.

"Remus, look at me," Julia reached out a hand to tug his own from his face. "Lily, James. It doesn't have to end like this. We came back to stop everything. We have a plan to destroy Voldemort, to make sure _none _of what we've shown you, and will tell you, happens." Remus studied her for a moment, with one protective arm around Lily, who was leaning into her husband. "What's the plan, then?"

**So. To clarify- Poppy is Julia's aunt (her brother is Julia's dad). I couldn't find reference to how old she is anywhere, so for my purposes, I made her closer the Marauders ages. If her brother has a child the same age as Harry it stands to reason she'd be close in age to Harry's parents. I'm making a time line just to keep everything straight and I'll post it on my profile page sometime. **

**Couldn't find when the Prewett twins died, just that it was probably in the Fall of 1981, but before Halloween.**

**Please review, ideas are welcome! **


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